Recoup State Partnership Money

Most of Facility Master Plan Financed by State

Mason City School District voters have made significant investments in the schools where our community’s children learn. In 2001, the Board of Education joined the Ohio School Facilities Commission’s (OSFC) Expedited Local Partnership Program.

School districts are offered funding through OSFC's comprehensive building program in order depending on wealth. Districts are ranked from one to 614 each year by the Ohio Department of Education using a formula that is based on a three-year adjusted valuation per pupil (which relates largely to property wealth). Lowest wealth districts are served first. Mason‘s number is “469” and Mason’s construction investments that complied with the Ohio School Design Manual qualified for a 25% match from the state.

In December 2013, the district learned that Mason might now be eligible to receive approximately $25 million from the OSFC for future facility projects because of the construction and renovation projects the district undertook over the last decade to build and renovate Mason High School, the Mason Early Childhood Center and Mason Intermediate. In addition, the district will continue to receive a 25% match from the state for the investments the district will make to renovate Mason Middle School and the Mason Early Childhood Center.

In total, the Master Facility Plan will cost about $38.5 million with the state picking up the tab for about $32.5 million. This means, that about $6 million of the Facility Master Plan costs will come from the district’s capital improvement fund.

“Mason taxpayers have sent truck-loads of money to Columbus. We now have the rare opportunity for some of that money to come back,” said Dr. Kist-Kline, superintendent.

The OSFC partnership money will be capital funds. The district currently has about $15 million in its capital improvement fund. Monies in the district’s capital fund are required to be spent on facility needs and cannot be used for salaries, benefits or other general fund operating expenditures. However, the Mason City School District priority is to ensure that any facility investments also help reduce energy, utility and personnel costs.